I built a verifiable "human-made" badge without collecting a single file

Description and use

Verumano is a verification system for human-made work that stores only process links and metadata, renders SVG badges on demand, computes file SHA‑256 hashes in the browser, and exposes a read‑only API for bulk checks.

Problem

Creators want a badge that proves human-made work, can be verified in one click, and can be revoked if false, without uploading files to a platform.

Outcome

Verumano delivers a privacy‑respecting, revocable badge system that verifies human-made work without storing files, using on‑demand SVG rendering, incremental browser hashing, and a read‑only API for bulk checks.

Workflow

• 1. Creator submits links to process artifacts (drafts, sketches, timelapses, raw files).
• 2. Verumano records creator ID, discipline, status (reviewed/declared/revoked), and timestamps in a JSON registry.
• 3. Badge SVG is generated on each request from the registry, reflecting current status and linking to a public verification page.
• 4. Optional SHA‑256 fingerprint of a specific file is computed in the browser using incremental hashing and stored as a 64‑hex string.
• 5. Verification page allows anyone to drop a file and check if its hash matches a registered work.
• 6. Platforms can query a read‑only API to check creator records or file hashes in bulk.
• 7. A jury tool can paste a CSV of entries and validate them against the registry.
• 8. An npm package "verumano" provides client‑side hashing and API calls for browsers and Node.js.

Evidence

I wanted a badge that means something: someone actually looked at how the work was made, the badge can be checked by anyone in one click, and it can be revoked if it turns out to be false.

Source

So Verumano reviews the process (drafts, sketches, timelapses, version history, raw files) shown by the creator through links, and it never keeps the work itself.

Source

The badge a creator embeds is not a static image. It is an SVG generated on every request from the registry.

Source

Creators can attach a fingerprint of a specific file to their record: a SHA‑256 hash, computed in the browser.

Source

Platforms, contests and juries need to check entries in bulk, so there is a small read‑only API.

Source